New International Version
1 Peter 3:20
20to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
1 Peter 3:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
- English Standard Version (ESV)because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.
- New King James Version (NKJV)who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
- New Living Translation (NLT)those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.
Context of 1 Peter 3:20
18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
Read all of 1 Peter 31 Peter 3:20 word by word
ἀπειθήσασίν ποτε, ὅτε ἀπεξεδέχετο ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ μακροθυμία ἐν ἡμέραις Νῶε κατασκευαζομένης κιβωτοῦ, εἰς ἣν ὀλίγοι, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ὀκτὼ ψυχαί, διεσώθησαν δι᾽ ὕδατος·Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Which sometimeποτέpote · once/whenG4218
- were disobedientἀπειθέωapeitheō · to disobeyG544
- whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
- onceἅπαξhapax · onceG530
- the longsufferingμακροθυμίαmakrothumia · patienceG3115
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- waitedἐκδέχομαιekdechomai · to wait forG1551
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- of NoahΝῶεNōe · NoahG3575
- while the arkκιβωτόςkibōtos · ark: NoahG2787
- was a preparingκατασκευάζωkataskeuazō · to prepareG2680
- whereinεἰςeis · towardG1519
- ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- fewὀλίγοςoligos · little/fewG3641
- thatοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- eightὀκτώoktō · eightG3638
- soulsψυχήpsuchē · soul: personG5590
- were savedδιασῴζωdiasōzō · to saveG1295
- byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
Cross-references for 1 Peter 3:20
- Genesis 6:3Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
- Isaiah 30:18Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
- Romans 2:4Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
- Romans 9:22What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?
- 2 Peter 3:15Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
- Matthew 24:37As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
- Luke 17:26“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.
- Genesis 6:14So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.
- Hebrews 11:7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
- Genesis 7:1The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.
- Genesis 8:1But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.
- Matthew 7:14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
- Luke 12:32“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
- Luke 13:24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.
- 2 Peter 2:5if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
- Genesis 7:17For forty days the flood kept coming on the earth, and as the waters increased they lifted the ark high above the earth.
Commentaries on 1 Peter 3:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20When once the long-suffering of God waited - In Pirkey Aboth, cap. v. 2, we have these words: "There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, that the long-suffering of God might appear; for each of these generations provoked him to anger, and went on in their iniquity, till at last the deluge came." Were saved by water - While the ark was preparing, only Noah's family believed; these amounted to eight persons; and these only were saved from the deluge '…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Which sometime were disobedient - Which were “once,” or “formerly,” ( potedisobedient or rebellious. The language here does not imply that they had ceased to be disobedient, or that they had become obedient at the time when the apostle wrote; but the object is to direct the attention to a former race of people characterized by disobedience, and to show the patience evinced under their provocations, in endeavoring to do them good. To say that people were…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-22Verses 14-22 We sanctify God before others, when our conduct invites and encourages them to glorify and honour him. What was the ground and reason of their hope? We should be able to defend our religion with meekness, in the fear of God. There is no room for any other fears where this great fear is; it disturbs not. The conscience is good, when it does its office well. That person is in a sad condition on whom sin and suffering meet: sin makes suffering…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20only eight souls: These were Noah, his wife, their three sons, and the sons’ wives (Genesis 6:18; 8:18).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. once--not in the oldest manuscripts. when ... the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah--Oldest manuscripts. Greek, "was continuing to wait on" (if haply men in the hundred twenty years of grace would repent) until the end of His waiting came in their death by the flood. This refutes Alford's idea of a second day of grace having been given in Hades. Noah's days are selected, as the ark and the destroying flood answer respectively to…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Peter 3:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Peter 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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